Moving to Belville, NC: Living in Belville Guide

Belville is a small town on the Brunswick River, just across the water from Wilmington. It was incorporated in 1977, and the town’s own history notes rice plantations along the river and Liberty Ships once docked at its northern edge. Today it’s best known for the Brunswick Riverwalk Park at Belville, a riverfront park with a fishing pier and boardwalk, and for being about 5 road miles from downtown Wilmington without the city price tag.

Belville is younger than most of Brunswick County, and it suits commuters, young families and renters who want to be close to Wilmington jobs while living on the Brunswick County side of the river. It sits right next to Leland, so shopping, restaurants and the U.S. 17 corridor are minutes away. This guide covers what it costs to live here, the weather, schools and what moving day looks like, from the team behind our Belville movers page.

Planning a move to Belville? Call our NC & SC team at 910-758-0081 or get your price online.

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Where Is Belville, NC?

Belville is in northeastern Brunswick County, directly across the Brunswick River and Cape Fear River from Wilmington. U.S. 17, U.S. 74 and U.S. 76, running together as the Andrew Jackson Highway and Ocean Highway, form the town’s northern edge and cross the rivers into Wilmington. N.C. 133 (River Road) runs south from Belville toward Winnabow and Southport, and Interstate 140 loops around the area to the north and west. Town Hall is at 497 Olde Waterford Way.

The town’s location explains a lot about it. Belville sits about 5 miles from the Port of Wilmington, and the town’s own history points to rice plantations along the river and to the Liberty Ships once docked at its northern border. Growth came fast after 2000: the town went from 285 residents that year to 1,936 in 2010 and 2,406 in 2020.

Wilmington International Airport is the main airport for Belville. Wave Transit offers microtransit service in the area, and the town links to it from its website.

Road distances from Belville, measured with OpenStreetMap routing:

Leland: about 2 miles
Downtown Wilmington: about 5 miles
Brunswick Nature Park (Winnabow): about 7 miles
Wilmington International Airport (ILM): about 11 miles
Southport: about 25 miles
North Myrtle Beach, SC: about 54 miles
Myrtle Beach International Airport (MYR): about 74 miles
Fayetteville: about 87 miles
Raleigh: about 134 miles
Charlotte: about 196 miles

Belville Population & Demographics

Belville counted 2,406 residents in the 2020 Census, up from 1,936 in 2010 and just 285 in 2000. The Census Bureau’s 2020–2024 American Community Survey estimates 2,573 people today. The town stands out in Brunswick County for being young: the survey puts the median age at 32.9, compared with 56.4 for the county as a whole. It also has more renters than most of the county, with about 56.5% of occupied homes owner-occupied.

Belville is small, so survey estimates carry margins of error, especially for income. Use the figures as a snapshot.

Measure (2020–2024 ACS unless noted)	Belville	Brunswick County	North Carolina
Population, 2020 Census	2,406	—	—
Population (ACS estimate)	2,573	152,568	10,730,404
Median age	32.9	56.4	39.1
Median household income	$81,944	$77,024	$72,388
Bachelor’s degree or higher, age 25+	28.7%	34.7%	35.7%
Owner-occupied housing rate	56.5%	84.6%	66.6%
Median home value	$282,600	$349,800	$288,900
Median gross rent	$1,798	$1,351	$1,228

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2020–2024 American Community Survey 5-year estimates, via Census Reporter. Belville’s income estimate has a margin of error of about $18,500.

Is Belville Safe?

We haven’t found a recent, reliable crime rate for Belville that we’d feel comfortable publishing. For current information about a specific street or apartment community, contact Belville Town Hall or the Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office, which is headquartered in Bolivia, and drive the area at different times of day before you sign a lease or a contract.

Cost of Living in Belville

Belville’s big selling point is location: Wilmington is minutes away, but home values here run below the Brunswick County typical value. Rent is another story, since the town’s apartments and townhomes put its median rent above the county’s.

Home Prices

Zillow’s Home Value Index for Belville was $332,275 in August 2026, down 1.0% from $335,497 a year earlier. That’s below the typical Brunswick County home ($404,783) and the Wilmington metro ($445,278), and close to the typical North Carolina home ($334,773). The typical U.S. home was $368,697. The Census Bureau’s survey-based median home value for Belville was $282,600 for 2020–2024.

Newer construction is part of the local market. One new-construction neighborhood off River Road, Belville Oaks, was listing 3- and 4-bedroom homes from about $355,000 to $418,800, according to a local real estate site.

Rent

The Census Bureau’s median gross rent for Belville was $1,798 for 2020–2024, well above the county’s $1,351 and the state’s $1,228. Zillow’s Observed Rent Index for Belville showed $1,723 a month in August 2026. For comparison, Zillow’s index was $1,734 for Brunswick County (up 3.8% from a year earlier), $1,734 for the Wilmington metro and $1,948 for the U.S. With more than four in ten homes rented, Belville is one of the better spots in Brunswick County to find a lease close to Wilmington.

Best Neighborhoods in Belville

Waterford

The Waterford area, around Poole Road and Olde Waterford Way, is where you’ll find Belville Town Hall along with shops and restaurants, including Cape Fear Seafood Company. It suits people who want errands, dinner and the U.S. 17 corridor close by. If you’re moving near the shopping area, plan loading around weekend and evening traffic.

River Road and the Riverwalk

Along N.C. 133 (River Road), homes sit near the Brunswick Riverwalk Park at Belville and Belville Elementary. Newer subdivisions such as Belville Oaks, off River Road at Belville Oaks Lane, offer new-construction homes with bonus rooms. It suits families who want a park and a school nearby and a short drive to Wilmington. Note that some homes here carry a Leland mailing address.

Apartments and Townhomes

Renters make up a large share of Belville’s households, and apartment and townhome communities are a big part of its housing. They suit young professionals, people new to the area who want to rent before buying, and anyone working in downtown Wilmington or at the port. When you move into a managed community, ask early about elevator or loading-area reservations and moving-hour rules.

Weather & Climate

Belville shares Wilmington’s warm, humid coastal climate. NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for Wilmington International Airport, about 11 miles away, put the annual average temperature at 64.4°F. July averages a high of 90.0°F and a low of 73.0°F. January averages a high of 57.2°F and a low of 36.3°F, and snow averages under an inch a year (0.9 inches).

Rain averages 60.15 inches a year. September is the wettest month at 8.69 inches, followed by August at 8.16 inches. That matches the Atlantic hurricane season, June 1 to November 30, with most storms arriving in August through October, according to NOAA. Belville sits on the river, so check flood zones and insurance on any home before you buy.

Best months to move: April (average high 74.6°F), May (81.1°F) and October (76.1°F) are the most comfortable. If you must move in July or August, start early in the morning.

Things to Do in Belville

Brunswick Riverwalk Park at Belville

The town’s signature park sits on the Brunswick River with three picnic shelters, two playgrounds, a one-third-mile walking trail, a boardwalk and nature trails, a river viewing deck and a 125-foot wheelchair-accessible fishing pier. There’s also a launch for kayaks, canoes and small boats; plan around the tide. The town hosts events here through the year.

Brunswick Nature Park

About 7 miles south at 2601 River Road in Winnabow, this 911-acre county park has walking and mountain bike trails, a kayak and canoe launch on a Brunswick County paddle trail and a large picnic pavilion. It’s open from 8 a.m. until dusk.

Downtown Wilmington and the Riverwalk

Downtown Wilmington is about 5 miles away. Its riverwalk, restaurants, museums and events are an easy evening out, and many Belville residents cross the river daily for work.

Brunswick Town/Fort Anderson State Historic Site

Farther down River Road in Winnabow, this free state historic site holds the ruins of Brunswick, a major pre-Revolutionary port destroyed in 1776, including St. Philips Church, plus the earthworks of Civil War-era Fort Anderson. It’s open Tuesday through Saturday.

Town Events at the Riverwalk

The Town of Belville runs a parks and recreation program with events at the Riverwalk, such as its Back to School Bash, and publishes a yearly event calendar. Picnic shelters can be reserved online through the town’s recreation portal. Signing up for the town newsletter is the easiest way to meet neighbors in your first few months.

Beaches

Belville is inland, but the beaches aren’t far. Oak Island is about 30 miles away, and Wrightsville Beach and Carolina Beach are on the Wilmington side of the river.

Where to Eat in Belville

Belville and neighboring Leland share a busy restaurant corridor along U.S. 17. Here are three places close to home.

Cape Fear Seafood Company (Waterford, Poole Road)

The Waterford location of this regional seafood chain is at 143 Poole Road in Belville. It’s a sit-down spot for shrimp, fish and Southern sides, and a good choice when family comes to help with the move.

Al’s Burger Shack (Leland Town Center Drive)

This burger shop, which started in Chapel Hill, has a location at 3556 Leland Town Center Drive, a few minutes from Belville, open daily from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. It’s quick, casual and an easy dinner on move-in night.

Islands Fresh Mex Grill (Olde Regent Way)

This Wilmington-area Mexican grill has a Leland location at 2013 Olde Regent Way. It’s a fast, casual option for burritos and bowls when the kitchen is still in boxes.

Jobs & Economy

Belville’s economy is tied to Wilmington and its port, about 5 miles away. Many residents commute across the river to jobs in downtown Wilmington, at the port, in health care and at the region’s larger employers, and the U.S. 17 corridor through Belville and Leland supports retail, restaurant and service jobs close to home.

Across Brunswick County, the school system is the largest single employer, and retail trade is the largest industry by employment, with 6,437 jobs in 2023, according to the NC Rural Center. County employment grew 38% between 2013 and 2023, and the unemployment rate averaged 4.2% in 2023. Brunswick Community College’s Leland Center, at 2045 Enterprise Boulevard, offers job training close to home.

Schools in Belville

Belville is served by Brunswick County Schools, which the National Center for Education Statistics reports had 13,561 students in 20 schools in the 2024–2025 school year, with about 885 full-time-equivalent teachers and a student-teacher ratio of about 15.3. Belville Elementary is in the area, and nearby Leland is home to Lincoln Elementary, Leland Middle and North Brunswick High. School assignments depend on your exact address, so confirm them with the district before you sign.

For college, Brunswick Community College has a Leland Center, and UNCW and Cape Fear Community College are across the river in Wilmington.

Belville Quick Facts

County	Brunswick County
ZIP code	28451
Area codes	910, with the 472 overlay
Incorporated	1977
Nearest airports	Wilmington International (ILM), about 11 miles; Myrtle Beach International (MYR), about 74 miles
Main roads	U.S. 17/74/76, N.C. 133 (River Road), I-140 nearby
Population	2,406 (2020 Census)
Public school district	Brunswick County Schools
Annual average temperature	64.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normal, Wilmington airport)

Moving to Belville: Tips From Our Crew

Plan around the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge. If your belongings are coming from the Wilmington side, the bridge carries U.S. 17/76/421 over the Cape Fear River. It was built in 1969, and NCDOT notes that maintenance and lift operations cause traffic delays. Avoid rush hours and check for lane closures before moving day. NCDOT is planning a replacement.
Ask your apartment office for a certificate of insurance early. Many managed communities want a COI from your mover before move-in. We provide certificates of insurance free, so just send us the building’s requirements.
Reserve loading areas and elevators. If you’re moving into a townhome or apartment community, ask about loading zones, move-in hours and any elevator reservations so the truck isn’t waiting.
Watch the late-summer weather. From August through October, leave a flexible day or two in your schedule. Belville sits on the river, and heavy rain can slow the roads.
Bringing a kayak or small boat? The Riverwalk launch is best suited to kayaks, canoes and small boats, and access there is affected by the tide. Tell us about boats, trailers and outdoor gear when you book so we plan the right truck space.
Beat the heat. July highs average 90.0°F. Start early, keep water handy and have fans ready in the new place.
Use storage for a two-step move. Lots of people rent in Belville while they house-hunt. Our storage can hold what won’t fit in an apartment until you buy.

Frequently Asked Questions About Moving to Belville

How much does it cost to hire movers in Belville?

It depends on the size of your home, the distance, stairs, elevator access and whether you need packing. An apartment move with a reserved elevator is a very different job from a four-bedroom house. The best way to get a real number is a free quote: call 910-758-0081 and an owner will call you back within 15 minutes between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.

Is Belville part of Leland?

No. Belville is its own town, incorporated in 1977, with its own Town Hall and Board of Commissioners. It shares borders, roads and a ZIP code (28451) with Leland, so many people use the names interchangeably, and some homes near Belville have Leland mailing addresses.

How far is Belville from Wilmington?

Downtown Wilmington is about 5 road miles away, and Wilmington International Airport is about 11 miles. The main routes cross the Brunswick and Cape Fear rivers on U.S. 17/74/76, and traffic on the bridges is the biggest variable in the commute.

Is Belville a good place for renters?

It’s one of the stronger rental markets in Brunswick County. About 43.5% of occupied homes are rented, according to the Census Bureau, and the median gross rent was $1,798 for 2020–2024. Zillow’s rent index was $1,723 in August 2026.

When is the best time to move to Belville?

April, May and October offer mild temperatures and fewer storms. Summer is hot, and August through October is the peak of hurricane season. Many leases turn over at the end of the month, so book early if you need one of the last few days.

Move to Belville With A & M Friendly Movers

A & M Friendly Movers has been family-owned since 2015. When you call, you talk to an owner, not a call center, and if anything is damaged, an owner calls you the same day, with claims resolved in 60 to 90 days. Our crews are background-checked, drug-tested W-2 employees, never subcontractors. We handle local moves, apartment moves, packing and long-distance moves with a binding estimate and a guaranteed delivery date. Visit our Belville moving page or call 910-758-0081, and an owner will call you back within 15 minutes.

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